In Lieu of Studying
by Higuchimon
Summary: She's going to make a pass at her teacher. Surely no one's ever tried this way to get good grades before. Surely Chronos de Medici would fall right away for this.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit.  
><strong>Fandom:<strong> Yu-Gi-Oh GX  
><strong>Title:<strong> In Lieu of Studying  
><strong>Character:<strong> Chronos de Medici, OC  
><strong>Word Count:<strong> 2,399||**Status:** Complete  
><strong>Genre:<strong> Humor||**Rated:** PG-13  
><strong>Feedback:<strong> All forms eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.  
><strong>Note:<strong> This takes place in early season two, after Juudai's loss to Edo but before he returns from Neo-Space.  
><strong>Summary:<strong> She's going to make a pass at her teacher. Surely no one's ever tried this way to get good grades before. Surely Chronos de Medici would fall right away for this.

* * *

><p>"You're kidding me." She looked from the paper to the teacher and back again. "Professor Chronos, why did I get a <em>forty-seven<em> on this paper?"

"Because I was generous enough not to give you the _forty_you actually deserved." Chronos de Medici didn't even bother to look at her as he passed out the rest of the papers. "You misspelled several critical words. See me after class."

Komatsu Airi slumped back in her chair, noticing almost absently the appreciative look of a nearby Obelisk Blue. She adjusted her legs so he had a better view and stared down at the test paper once again.

_What does he think he's doing? Grading me like this?_ She wanted to throw the paper back at him. How _dare_ he treat her like some common Osiris Red! Worse, even! She'd seen him treat some of them _better_!

"Ahem." She jumped, surprised to find the professor standing beside her once again. "I take it that you don't know how to answer my question on the Mirror Force series of trap cards?"

The third year girl twitched and fumbled, trying to recall what she'd heard about the series. "I...uh..." Damn it! This was embarrassing! All she could think about was that stupid grade!

"I believe that's a 'no'." Chronos turned and stalked away, leaving Komatsu to her shame.

A sudden sharp whisper caught her attention and she saw the boy from before looking at her. "Don't worry about it. I bet he's just jealous because you're so good-looking and he's not." He nodded to confirm his words, then turned his attention back to the lecture as Chronos continued to babble about trap cards and their significance in duels.

_Right. That's it._What other reason would there be? It wouldn't be the first time people were jealous of her. She ran her fingers through her hair, frustrated at the way the mark appeared to mock her, slashed across the paper in brilliant red ink.

Komatsu stuck the tip of her pen in her mouth and tried to concentrate on the lesson, boring as it was. This was almost as bad as one of Professor Satou's classes. At least she'd seen the sense of not bothering to go _there_ anymore. Unfortunately, she knew that wasn't going to work with Chronos.

So, that meant she had to find out what _would _work to get her grades up.

When the bell rang, Komatsu didn't follow the example of her classmates, all of whom rushed out to put their books away and hit the beach for some exercise in between now and dinnertime. The moment she set her pen down, Chronos's attention pinned her to the seat. "Do not forget that I wish to speak to you."

Komatsu packed her bag with care before she walked down to where Chronos stood waiting. "Yes, sir?" Jealous. That was all there was to it. The more she considered it, the more certain she was that it was true. _Just look at him. He looks like he fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down, twice. Then someone beat him with the ugly stick just to be sure._Yes. Someone like that would definitely do anything they could against someone like her. She didn't have to worry about anything.

"If you don't bring your grades up before the end of this term, then I'm afraid you could face expulsion." Chronos stated, gathering together another pack of papers into a neat stack. "I would very much prefer not to have to do that to one of my Obelisk Blue students, but your grades have been abysmal this year. I've heard you've even quit attending some of your classes."

Komatsu shifted in place before reasserting herself. "Everything is so much harder this year, sir. It's taking me a while to get adjusted to it."

"I'm certain." Something in the way he said that told her he didn't believe a word she said. "You have three weeks until the end of term exams. Bring up those grades and perform better on the practicals." He didn't say 'or else' but he didn't have to. Komatsu tightened her lips, tossed her head, and stalked out of the classroom at his waved dismissive hand. This was so _unfair_! What did he expect her to do, _study_?

She stalked outside and down toward the Obelisk girl's dorm, grumbling under her breath. _Expel me. He wants to expel me._ None of her family members had ever had to deal with anything like that. She'd be a blot on the family name! Thrown out of Duel Academia! _I'm going to be a pro! I can't let this happen!_

A thousand different plans surged through her thoughts, each less likely than the last. Her father wouldn't buy her out of this. He'd told her time and time again the only way anyone got ahead was by following Kaiba's example: working hard and earning it. _I've never had to study. I don't think I'd even know how._She knew enough about dueling to make it through most of the practical exams here, but when it came to the paperwork, her mind blanked.

Her books tossed away, she headed back out to the beach, ready to have a little fun. There was no need to stress herself out over this, she decided. Stress gave one wrinkles and wrinkles would come fast enough with old age. _She_was sixteen. Wrinkles were far from her thoughts, except to rejoice that she didn't have any.

Settling herself into her favorite blue bikini, she stretched out on a towel and let the sun soak into her. _I bet Professor Chronos wouldn't look anywhere nearly as stunning as I do now if he were in a bikini._

The thought of a bikini on that bony body sent an intense shudder all through her. _Suddenly, I don't think I want to try eating any time soon._ She shook her head, trying to get the image out of it. Really, Chronos was a good teacher, but he was so _ugly_! It would be so much easier to study if the teachers around here were more attractive.

_Then again, if the teachers looked more like Fubuki-sama or Kaiser, I don't know if I'd want to study then either._ She smiled, letting the image of the two attractive duelists wander happily through her mind. _I bet they couldn't keep their hands off me if they were teachers._

Deep in the depths of Komatsu Airi's mind, two thoughts bumped into one another, creating a third. And then more.

_They couldn't keep their hands off me if they were teachers._

_Professor Chronos is a teacher._

_He's an ugly teacher. I bet he's never even had a date in his life._

_I bet I know a way to get him to give me better grades._

And she smiled.

Too easy.

But too much fun to resist.

* * *

><p>Chronos stepped into his classroom ready to deal with anything they could possibly bring against him. Boredom, disinterest, homework not being done, he had answers for all of it.<p>

Of course, he still didn't have an answer for where Yuuki Juudai was, and that worried him far more than he cared to admit. But for the moment, he could do nothing about that.

What he could do was teach his classes and he stalked up to the podium to get started. "I hope all of you did your assignments. There will be a practical exam in two days to determine how well you've been absorbing these lessons."

He could hear the groans from the very back of the class as clearly as if they stood beside him. He loved being a teacher.

Chronos skimmed the class, checking out everyone's reactions individually. Most appeared to be more or less resigned to the lesson. A few looked eager. Some looked varying grades of terrified. And one...

Oh. It was her. He frowned; what on Earth did she think she was doing? Her jacket hung open, revealing a low-cut white shirt beneath it. His lips twisted and he shook his head. _If that's all she has to wear, I need to speak to someone about laundry being done in the girl's dorm._

Turning his mind to more important matters, he started the lesson for the day.

"Professor..." Komatsu called out, and he turned in time to see her adjusting her skirt, moving it higher up. "Do you think you could explain this a little more? It's so difficult."

"I hardly think three link chains of effects are difficult. But if you're having problems, I can go over it after class with you." She was one of his Obelisks, after all, and he wanted to make certain they did the best they could. She wouldn't _be_ in Obelisk if she didn't have the talent for it. All she really needed to do was apply herself.

He turned back to the board, explaining how the effects tied into one another and which would resolve in which order, paying very little extra attention to Komatsu. He did notice, in a vague way, that she fidgeted quite a bit in class, leaning forward, leaning backward and to the side, moving her legs this way and that. None of her classmates appeared to be bothered by it, though some of them did give her an occasional long look.

As everyone else headed out of class, Komatsu came down the steps toward the podium. Chronos turned his notes back to the chain effects section and cleared his throat. "What precisely don't you understand about chain effects?"

"Oh, everything!" Komatsu cooed breathily, leaning forward from a few inches away. Chronos spread his papers out and turned to see her cleavage practically thrust in his face.

_Oh. I see. _He turned away and pointed down toward the papers. "Perhaps if you paid more attention in class, you'd understand it more easily."

Komatsu sniffed, tilting her head back. "Professor, I don't think you understand. I'd do just _anything_ to get a good grade in your class. Really, I would." She shifted one slender leg forward, her skirt riding up more as she did. "_Anything _at all."

In all honesty, Chronos had to mentally swallow to keep his mind on business. He was a teacher, but he was also a human being. "There is something that you could do."

The flicker of triumph through her dark eyes killed anything that might've been desire. "I knew there was. What would you like?"

He lifted his head and stared down at her. "I would like you to report for detention for two hours after classes today, tomorrow, and the next day. You'll also have to study chain effects until you can do them properly, and I will make _certain_ they come up in your practical exam."

Komatsu's eyes widened before narrowing for a moment. "Professor, are you trying to tell me that there's _nothing else_ I can do besides that?" She pouted in a fashion that probably would've sent the hormones of most of her classmates into overdrive.

"No, there isn't. Do you really think that would help you become a professional duelist? Would your opponents surrender because you hike your skirt up at them? Would you _want_ them to if they did?" He frowned down at her even more. "One of the highest goals of dueling is to always have the best duel you can against the strongest opponent you can. To win or lose by your own skills and nothing else. Taking shortcuts in class isn't going to help you with that."

"But, Professor...!"

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "You're going to be late if you don't go. I'll see you back here for your detention. Bring your deck, you _will_ need it." He paused for a moment. "But change into something more suitable before you come back here. It is November. You don't want to catch a chill."

Chronos gathered up his papers once again and headed for his office. He could only hope that what he'd said sank into her. From the toss of her head and the flash of her eyes, he didn't think it had. But he would do his best to teach her, nevertheless, until it did.

* * *

><p>Komatsu muttered several words under her breath that would probably have encouraged any teacher who heard her to give her at least a week of detention. Luckily, none of them were in her room to hear her in the first place. How <em>dare<em>he! Detention!

_Study! Work! Like a common **Osiris Red**!_ And to have the nerve to turn down her offer at the same time! Not that she intended to sleep with him in the _first_ place. _But once I had the grades, I wouldn't have to._

Well, she would show him. Whoever she had to duel in this detention, she would tromp him or her into the ground. If an Osiris Red could get away without studying, then there was no reason _she_ couldn't either.

Of course, no one had seen Yuuki Juudai around for days, so maybe...no. Komatsu didn't doubt for a moment that he'd turn up and be just as cocky and skilled as he'd been before, sooner or later. She had her own problems to deal with, though.

_Whoever he wants me to duel, it'll be someone else who has detention._ Of all of those who were likely to have it, she was certain she could defeat any of them. What were the chances that any of them would be a Blue, after all?

Head held high, she entered the room and looked around to see who else was there. Professor Chronos beckoned her in as she did. It took a moment for her to realize just who it was with him and her spirits died almost at once.

"You don't have detention, do you?" That was a ridiculus question anyway. The idea of _Tenjoin Asuka_ with detention! The blonde smiled at her, and it wasn't a very pleased smile.

"No, I don't. But Professor Chronos asked me to help him with giving you a few tips about being a duelist. I hope you don't mind."

Komatsu bit back a groan. "No. I don't." This was going to be a very long detention.

**The End**


End file.
